davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20

tho leading provisions Of the Riddle.
lerger bill, with statement oil the
coupon system; how and in what cases
they can be receivable for taxes or
debts; The amount authorized AMI
issued and in existence now n state
mcnt Of the means of payment by the
State Of the amount actually due, with
ont regard 60 coupons, and as IL there
were no coupons. Let this statement
be compact as possible, to be printed
10y the debt.paying party, and scattered
through the State among the people.
Nine tenths Of the people know no
thing on this subject and have to be
instructed. They have no means be-
yond what is furnished TO ascertain what
is honest and right, however much they
may desire to knowit The difficulties
Of the times, its general demoraliza-
ten. vast increase of crime; derange-
mont. extrayagaDce, employment OF
low, illiterate, unreliable men for nearly
every Office, arc together encouraging
PEOPLE Of good sense and morals TO
tol1 rate reputation and enact 1t,
though willing to pay the debt; but in
the troubles Of the times, not knowing
how this can he done, they see that re-
pudiation would give them present re-
lief and vantage ground 10 stand on IN
n new settlement that might lead to a
compromise 10y which relief from the
debt might be more certainly had and
this effect would be produced, for no.
thing would more alarm the creditors
than reputation. The failure OF crops
for several years, present great scarcity
of money, vast amount Of colored
voters repudiators by nature, and
about as many whites, would carry re-
pudiation in the State at any time
and, from decentralization at present,
whites who never would have done it
before will now do it.
The vast majority OF the Legislature
are aware that they would not shock
the conscience Of crowds of their con-
stituents by sustaining reputation.
Doubtless You will find men in Rich
mond. by dividing the work cut ont
herein, to furnish the document de.
scribed. with little labor to any one OF
them. At present, from the short crops
md low prices of all staples, especially
tobacco, there is great scarcity OF food,
and no doubt many petty offence:
aIe committed TO get good fires aud
food by spending all the hard months
in the iails. The abolition OF the
vbipping-post was great mistake, rs
every one must see, but every man
either is, or on first chance will be,
candidate for popular honors, and must
make himself agreeable at the cost
OF patriotism. / could say good deal
more. but doubt not these hints viii
answer the purpose in view; and / as
sumo with this aid to explain our situa
ton. The people would at last know
where they stand and what is around
them, and it is as important to then
60 get out of this trouble and they vii
do it by reputation if that is most Ger
tain and speedy. Most will say, "W'
will repudiate now, and when times &c;
better bring in your claims and we vii
think of it..
"A DEBT-PAYING DEHOCuAT.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
Horn and There.

A real curiosity was exhibited on the
streets Of Anderson, n. c., last week.
A corn-cob representing human hand,
with every part perfectly developed,
was seen by hundreds of people. Dr..
W. II. Nardin, a physician OF unusual
intelligence, held the skeleton in his
hand and pointed out the perfect SINH
larity between the cob and the skele-
tcs of a human hand. DIR. Nardin and
other gentlemen of intelligence declare
it to be one of the most wonderful
freaks Of nature.
A scientific writer recalls that in the
early DAYS Of electric lighting Sir Will
liam Siemens declared that it would be
cheaper to use gas in an engine 10 drive
n DYNAMO with which to run electric
lights than TO use the gas directly for
illuminating purposes. In this connec-
ton it is pointed out that in Germany
this has been proved commercially, and
in Prague, Austria, an electric plant
for $50 arc-lights has been put up, with
three 50-horse-power Otto gas-englnes
as the motors.
A farmer near Milroy, Pa, removed
O stump from field one day last week.
In its hollow was what seemed to be a
lot of knotted rope After the supposed
rope had lam in the sun for short
time the farmer discovered that it was
mass of copperhead snakes, twisted
and laced together with the heads out
ward. When stirred up they Kissed in
a manner horrible enough to make ones
hair stand on end. Calling assistance,
he succeeded in dispatchingthem. When
laid out side by side and counted up
there were found to he one hundred
and ninety-three serpents.
The ease of Mary Baker, OF Delphi,
Ind, is attracting attention from doc
tors. For one hundred and fifty days,
il is asserted, she has eaten nothing ex-
cent few mouthfuls of food about two
weeks ago. She is wasted to skeleton,
and what now sustains life puzzles
the physicians. She is able to
talk in low tone, and her mind
is as clear ~ it ever was. She
talks of her condition and is confident
| that she will not die, although every
body else expects her death daily. She
has been promised that in case of death
her body shall not be dissected, bat
shall be buried in grave, securely pro
tected from grave-robbers, this precau-
| ton being taken because Of many Offers
from doctors for her corpse.
According TO Washington core
spondent Mrs. Cleveland has remark
able faculty for remembering names
and faces which Miss Rose Elizabeth
Cleveland did not exhibit during the
short time she presided over hel
brothers household. Miss Cleye
land on several occasion under
took 10 familiarize herself with the
names Of all Der domestic and oficia
force, but she invariably got the names
mixed. With Mrs. Cleveland it il
different. She knows all the employees
by name, and always greets them pro
perly whenever the occasion requires
She takes q deep interest in her house
| hold duties, and her servants RECOGNIZES
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
The Coming Metal.
ALBANY journal.

II is common belief that all the
known metals in the matrix OF the
planet in some shape or other are
utilized. The all-pervading iron, and
steel which is IN Improvement on Its
parent. we know right well. Copper
married to zinc gives us brass. Lead,
like a politician. probably goes into
more pipe-laying than any of its me-
tallic kin. Silver is picked out OF the
mines in Leadville hidden so carefully
in dirt which looks like yellow clay
that only when subjected to the martyr
dom of fire does it deliver up its white
and molten soul. Gold, the yellow god
of all peoples and times, was the che
rished love Of earliest savage, and Is OF
latest civilized life.
Even the different epochs Of the his
! tory OF the human race have been
FAMED after the metals. The earliest
and mythical age WAS the golden. The
first historic period the age of bronze,
and this is truly the iron age OF the
world. Iron nerves braid the CONT
nents and iron ships are the shuttles
that weave the wool Of commerce.
Without it civilization would be at a
standstill, and the stone hammers and
| the flint arrow-heads again be the
needed implements and weapons OF the
race.
1t is the metallic missionary that
makes civilization practicable. Yet 1t
is more than probable that in the near
coming time iron will be displaced.
| This king and servant that controls and
vet serves will have to abdicate to a
new, potent, and more capable ruler.
The metal of the time to be is
aluminium. Iron, strong as 1t
is, is fatal in its weaknesses moisture
gnaws its surface with destructive
rust the hammering that length
ems its crystals into fibres and changes
it from cast to the toughness OF
wrought-if the vibrations and pound
ing be continued, as in the axles OF
railroad wheels-jars it back to weak
crystals again. The sun stretches it
and the cold shrinks it. Excellent as
iron is it is very fallible, and the
broken rail and swapping bridge girder
make it a Moloch satisfied only with
the sacrifice of human life.
A new metal, however, has quietly,
modestly, and almost without recogni-
ton made its advent. Hidden away in
every bed of clay and in every block OF
seemingly worthless and friable rocky
slate this newly-found and wonderful
metal can be found. Like Bethlehem's
star, it proclaims the possibilities OF a
new civilization. Aluminium is very
plebeian in its affinities. Ii has never
yet been found alone. Dirt and rock
every rock, in fact, except limestone
are Its holder and companion
When Franklin was curious to learn
by experiment if the lightning was oil
the same force as that of the crude cleo
trio machine he little dreamed that the
tiny wire twisted in the string OF his
kite was to be the parent OF the tele--
graph and cable that over the land and
under the sea would, like Shakspeare's
Puck, in forty minutes put girdle
round the earth that, with cobweb Of
wire, the human voice would bridge
space, our streets be lighted with the
little nerves OF electricity, and oul
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20

oil Imp burned fsrinto the night, and
mary Of her regular customers at l and
o'clock in the morning, finding her
neleep. would place nickel on the table,
ieke rs value in fruit, and pass on with
ont disturbing her,
"Mammy" Wilson was always treat
ed With marked respect by the "hood-
lums" as we'll Gs by the respectable peo-
ole Of the city, not more because of her
ace and well known integrity than
for the self-sacrifoing spirit she always
displayed when tho dreaded yellow-fe-
yer visited tiae city. In 1877 she first
made q reputation as yellow-feyer
nurse. and in every epidemic which fol-
lowed che was always among the first
TO offer her services in tina. capacity.
SIS she was skilful and faithful she was
always in demand. Doubtless there are
many in New Orleans to-day who owe
their lives to the careful watching and
|, uder care Of the withered and
wrinkled old npple-woman whose body
wes accompanied to the tomb yester-
aav by the Howard Association, various
benevolent associations and fire compa--
rs,q
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
,nni,nry Mensnrcs-SIeep.

10 the Edt0r II the Dispatch:
The different organs of the body
particularly the brain and muscular
svstem-require stated periods OF rest
following activity. Even the heart
whose action seems incessant, has q
brief period of repose between every
two beats. Nature kindly lends her
assistance by covering the earth with a
veil Of darkness at the proper time, IN
viting MS to inaction and repose.
A good nights rest is an indispensa'
hle preparation for the proper perform
ance of the duties Of the day. Seven
or eight hours sleep is generally re,
CURED, but the time varies somewhat
with different individuals. Oldperson'
and children require more.
The evils of an insufficient amount
Of sleep manifest themselves by irri'
liability of temper, headache, loss OF
appetite. diminished capacity for work
and greater susceptibility to morblhC
influences. The student or PROBES
sional man who habitually trims tho
midnight lamp" and attempts to cheat
nature out Of her proper allowance u
repose will some day have occasion Il
repent his short-sighted folly.
Children and invalids should b'
allowed to have their sleepout OF morn
ings
The conditions favoring sleep are ex
ercise. both mental and bodily, though
the last Is more essential, a comfortabl,
temperature and surroundings, anc
freedom from harassing cares. kxer
else should not be excessive. " Too
tiredto sleep isan expression which ha
its foundation in truth.
The period between the last meal an'
the time OF retiring should nos DE 50
great as to create sense OF hunger: III
that case small quantity of light foo'
before retiring is beneficial. Nj. ID.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
The RussIan Peasantry.
IQuarisrly Review.

The condition of the Russian pea
santry. which has been longand steadily
deteriorating, has now become 80 Mt.
terly hopeless that only some spe,cial
extra pressure is required to make tneir
deep discomfort break out in rebellion.
The "moujik" knows nothing OF ICON
stitutions" or "political freedom" He
signs for none of these things. lie hates
the Nihilists, for they are innoyators
end the declared enemies OF the
Gar Ee has a great patriotic
and superstitious regard for the
Emperor, as the head of his Church,
the fountain of all good gifts, and the
representative Of an ancient national
institution. But when firmly estab-
lished in his position, one Gar satisfies
the Russian peasant quite as wen rs
another. The Emperor Nicholas was
unite as good to him as would have
been his elder brother Constantine, had
the latter not been put out of the way
and the Empress Catherine, foreigner
and a woman, was quite as good as the
husband whom she disposed OF. Ii his
grievances become too great the peasant
viii not hesitate to attack the Cars
officers, tax collectors, and Others,
and he viii maintain a comfortable
theory that the autocrat is unaware OF
his sufferings, and that he is the victim
of wicked mobiles and officials who have
combined to prosecute him and to de.
ceiye the Gar. Before the peasant
was emancipated he worked under
his masters directions, he paid no
taxes. he seldom had any money, aud
he got but little "vodky." His master
guaranteed his subsistence, and he had
no particular cares or anxieties. When
emancipated he was made present OF
| some land, but he also became RESPONSE
bic for his own subsistence, aud he
became subject to land tax. He re-
NAMED, however, thoroughly careless,
and his only solicitude was to do as lit
tie work as possible. Circumstances
for a time favored him. Good land was
abundant, the price of corn in Europe
rose, railways were made to transport
his grain, the money rolled pleasantly
| INTO DIS pOchtts, anu tno WV.
ment kindly abolished the spiri
monopolies, and brought "vodky,
plentiful and cheap, to his door
Times have, however, changed
now: his land, which he never troubled
| TO manure, is exhausted the price o
grain has fallen America and lndii
are competing with him his sons, hi
laborers, are taken away by the con
scription, and the land tax alone re
mains as before. Remissions OF tn
tax are made from. time to time, bu
only where the arrears have be
come so heavy that their co
lection is perfectly hopeless. MAI
urally the peasant is on his last leg
and anything but cheerful. He
slow to move, but with little extr
pressure, a cry againstany OF his recoe
+ nized enemies, the Jews, the "tchinC
, yniks," or the mobiles, will start him o
q career of violence which nothing br
grapeshot will stop. And this is I'll
, | great danger which will assail Russ
! from within under the influence Of Il
d, stress Of prolonged war.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
uanored nj the Tomb.

On Thursday in New Orleans was bu
r;ed one ofthe best known and yet one oil
tbe bumblest women OF that city. She
WAS known as Nanny" Wilson, and
at the time of herdeath was seventy-se-
ven wears of age. For moethan forty
wears she sold apples and peanuts from
q little stand in front OF the Academy
Of Music on ST. Charles street. Two
generations of theatre-goers OF the
Crescent City have been accustomed
TO see the old apple-woman as they
passed in and out Of the Academy, ano
thousands perhaps were conscious OF .
feeling OF sorrow when they heard o.
Nanny" Wilson's death. Until thu
wirser just closed she wasselaom absen
from her post except when there was o. 2,
epidemic OF yellow-feyer. Ter httis
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20

public spirit in the use of the vast
wealth which he commands. For IN
stance, in memory of his only child,
son, who died in early youth, Senator
Stanford has established and literally
endowed o comprehensive educational
institution at Palo Alto, Cal, open to
students from all parts of the Union.
He was elected to the Senate rs Re-
publican in the place Of j. L. Farley
Democrat) and took his seat March 4,
1885. His term will expire March 3,
1891.
Mr. Stanford is OF English stock. He
was born in Albany county, New York,
March 9, 1924. His father was a man
of wealth and prominence and had
much to do with the establishment OF
the Erie canal. After reading law in
Albany Stanford became a resident OF
Fort Washington, Wisconsin. When
fhe news of the gold discovery in Cali
fornia SWEPT over the country he be-
came very much interested, and IN
1852 pushed across the plains and set
tied at Michigan Bluffs, on Amerl-
can river. in Placer county. He
took an interest III mining, but at the
same tine became a commercial speeu-
lator and found fortune in the union
| of the two. 4 recent estimate OF his
wealth places it at S75, 000, 600. There
| is OF San Francisco real estate upward
of 5000, 900 worth, besides many vine
wards, farms, and breeding-ranches,
while, his railroad investments have
been on very large scale. Four years
AGO he paid tax on an assessment OF
S2O. 600. coo, and of this sun nearly o
hall million was returned as in personal
efiects--diamonds, &c.--of himself and
family. ,
In 1861 Mr.. Stanford was elected
Governor of California. He was one
of the most enthusiastic promoters OF
the plan to build trans-continental
road. After careful consideration OF
Tie problem and the possibilities for
profitable investment in it, bill was
Drawn up and submitted to Congress.
This was the basis Of the great Pacific
railroad act and the opening wedge
of an immense mass of legislation
since placed upon the records OF
Congress. Governor Stanford was
elected president Of the new corpora.
ton. He was thoroughly convinced Of
the practicability of the idea sought tc
be developed, and breaking the first
earth for the road-bed on February y,
1863, saw the completion of the worl
on May 10, 1856.
Senator-elect Stanford is above the
usual height, broad-chested, and with
straight, military bearing. be is courte
Gus, afiable, and open-handed.
His liberal patronage of art has Sc
cured for him the gallery of fine paint
ines. which is one of the chief fea
lures of his elegant residence IN Sar
Francisco. Stanford farm, his fayorlt'
country-seat, is situated at Menlo Park
in the Santa Clara Valley, about forty
miles from San Francisco. The man
sion. which is IFS chief ornament, wa
begun five years ago. 1t stands IN TIM
centre of $50 acres, which make III
The paIk and lawn, and is surrounded
hv thousands of trees, constituting
one of the most unique collections II
the world. The owners aim Is t
gather there samples of every ire
which can be made to grow i'll the soi
Of California.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
The Double Bass.


Behold him there In the orchestra
That chap with the Jumbo dddle-
Tho placid now Is his yertebra
AZ a cake ON an ice-cOld griddlc.
There will come "A time when his spinal chord
VIII break at the temperate zone,
And you'll wonder how the man can AFFORD
Such liberal slack Of bone.
Just take him 10! What frlgld thing
lie seems In q quiet posel
Like the centre polo of n circus-rng
or scarecrOw waiting for crows;
Like q marble bust or tufa crust
Stuck up IN a solemn place,
Il the chap that soon will his jugular thrust
Ger the wing Of the double-bass-
liza. ha! The maestro's baton taps.
There's stir In the brOadcloth scam;
The hin &c OF the spinal column snaps
And crooketh the elbow beam;
Anon there glides giant bow
DER the nddle's big abdomen.
And the overture, IN It's easy noS,
Seems only pleasant omen
But markl There's an obligato called
With an accelerando squirt.
And the way that bridge OF size IS nlaulsd
Imperis the old mans shirt:
For he dives down over the bullying breast
OF his ten-fOot violin.
And saws. and saws AT the tough OLD cheSt
1iil you'd think he'd cave 1t In.
Then he wags bis bow with jerk and squeak
Thro' q rising agitato,
And the ofl-hand seats up the wire bound peak
Like q bee-stung Thomas-cat
The ague tackles his every limb,
The seams give way In his jacket,
And-well, II you'd live 10 note his vim
Az the grand nnale's racket,
You'd say, as you saw his brisk coat-tails
In a meteoric spatter,
And bis whole snatomyswhiz like falls
In an oli-tme threshihg patter,
"1here isn't a man In the world, VOW,
Or In to;her Orbs OF space,
That earns his bread by the sweat Of his brow
Like the chap Of the double-bass."
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
SWift's Specific
CURES RHEUMATIsN.

have been sufferer from Rheamasism To-
twenty years-at times with mos, intoieraoss
pain. bad the best medical treatment and
took all soris of remedies. but without rehet
Being reduced alaaost To a skeleton. and NOT
be,ny abio 10 walk even with crutches. was
induced to try swifrs Specific, and I, acted IKE
q charm, and | an to-day entiroly roheFoi'
have thrown away my crutche', AMI am 10 es-
cel,ent health. believe that swifss specine
win cure the worst case Of Rheumatism
Mrs. EZRA MgRsaos.
Macon, Ca, Angus, 4, 1854.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20

Ina paper entitled 1.-THE Handwri-
ting of the lnsane," recently read IN
philadelphia, Mrs. Henry Hazlehurst
said that the giving away OF the mind
In an educated person was often shown
in bad spelling, plotting, frequent era
sures, the absurd use OF parentheses,
italicization, and understanding in ex-
cess. Insane pride and obstina.cy
take TO capitals, and, it is said,
make frequent use of the letter "P," "
which becomes perfectly enormous.
Many of these indicia were to be found
in the handwriting OF ex-Sheriff Rowan,
who recently became insane. In him,
too, was noted another peculiarly
tendency TO commence at the right in
stead of the left-hand side OF the pr
per-this being carried 80 far that oltsn
he would not leave himself room on Ia,
paper TO complete even his signature
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
The Homestead Exemption.
SAsDIDGE's, AMHERST COUNTY,
March ID. 1897.


70 the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Having learned through the news
paper reports that the Legislature OF
Virginia will meet on the 18th instant,
beg a space in your paper to address
them few lines to give them my views
and experience in the workings OF the
exemption laws of the State. To put
il in its mildest form it is a license IS
sued to legalize the rObbingof the hon
est and industrious of their goods and
moneys for the benefit of the lazy and
dishonest. 1t has not only done this,
but the evil has gone still further. 1t
has educated our people to dishonesty
and laziness. A large number OF them
have determined to make no more than
these laws protect them in retaining, to
the detriment Of themselves, their
creditors, and the State. | honestly be-
lieve that the people of the State OF
VIRGINIA would have been worth one
hundred millions of dollars more to-day
than they ore if these exemption laws
Ind never been passed; that we would
nave Ddu II llOIdl, iutSAlitoN Nv, nv wy ~
industrious people, instead OF beggaTy,
disgrace, and degeneration. All OF TINS
lies ut the door of the monSrel conyen-
ton that framed our present State Con
stitution, and then the acts OF our
Legislature, which determined not to
be out Horoded by the acts OF the most
disgraceful body OF men that ever sat
in our Legislative halls These being
the results of past legislation, the rem,
edy is that they now take the earliest
possible day to undo the evils they have
done by repeating all OF these llaYS that
are disgrace to the statute hooks o.
the State. IL they do not do it, all OF
the better citizens of the present gene.
ration and the generation 10 follow will
hold them accountable for all the evils
they have brought on all of the people
and the State Respectfully,
JAMES Nj. TAL1ArERRo, NJ. ID.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
An OId.Fashioned Letter.


10 the Editor Of the Dispatch
Sir,-It will require much time TO
develop the true status OF the puDlic
debt, and /, though a stranger, hope 70
be excused for the suggestions herein
made respecting the necessity OF be.
ginning at once the preparation OF
such exhibit as would alone be OF puo-
lie and general use. The document
should contain plain, simple state
ment of the amount OF the debt as
claimed by the creditors, in figures OF
arithmetic, excluding all those OF speech.
with condensed statement OF what
has been done towards settlement